diff --git a/cmd/cmd.go b/cmd/cmd.go
index 710f49a72..d6cb8123c 100644
--- a/cmd/cmd.go
+++ b/cmd/cmd.go
@@ -241,6 +241,7 @@ func loadOrUnloadModel(cmd *cobra.Command, opts *runOptions) error {
 
 	req := &api.GenerateRequest{
 		Model:     opts.Model,
+		Options:   opts.Options,
 		KeepAlive: opts.KeepAlive,
 	}
 
@@ -264,10 +265,23 @@ func StopHandler(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 func RunHandler(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	interactive := true
 
+	rawParams, err := cmd.Flags().GetStringToString("parameter")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	paramSingletons := make(map[string][]string)
+	for key, rawParam := range rawParams {
+		paramSingletons[key] = []string{rawParam}
+	}
+	parameters, err := api.FormatParams(paramSingletons)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	opts := runOptions{
 		Model:    args[0],
 		WordWrap: os.Getenv("TERM") == "xterm-256color",
-		Options:  map[string]interface{}{},
+		Options:  parameters,
 	}
 
 	format, err := cmd.Flags().GetString("format")
@@ -276,6 +290,12 @@ func RunHandler(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	}
 	opts.Format = format
 
+	system, err := cmd.Flags().GetString("system")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	opts.System = system
+
 	keepAlive, err := cmd.Flags().GetString("keepalive")
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -1252,6 +1272,8 @@ func NewCLI() *cobra.Command {
 	runCmd.Flags().Bool("insecure", false, "Use an insecure registry")
 	runCmd.Flags().Bool("nowordwrap", false, "Don't wrap words to the next line automatically")
 	runCmd.Flags().String("format", "", "Response format (e.g. json)")
+	runCmd.Flags().String("system", "", "Set system message")
+	runCmd.Flags().StringToString("parameter", map[string]string{}, "Set a parameter (e.g. num_ctx:4096)")
 
 	stopCmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:     "stop MODEL",
diff --git a/cmd/interactive.go b/cmd/interactive.go
index d85510d45..1afa62b39 100644
--- a/cmd/interactive.go
+++ b/cmd/interactive.go
@@ -123,6 +123,11 @@ func generateInteractive(cmd *cobra.Command, opts runOptions) error {
 		scanner.HistoryDisable()
 	}
 
+	if opts.System != "" {
+		newMessage := api.Message{Role: "system", Content: opts.System}
+		opts.Messages = append(opts.Messages, newMessage)
+	}
+
 	fmt.Print(readline.StartBracketedPaste)
 	defer fmt.Printf(readline.EndBracketedPaste)